SOUND GENERATION BY BREAKDOWN PLASMA FORMATIONS INITIATED BY SOLID AEROSOL PARTICLES UPON EXPOSURE TO LASER RADIATION

Abstract

The results of experimental investigations into the characteristics of acoustic signals generated by breakdown plasma formations initiated by a solid aerosol particle or an ensemble of monodisperse aerosol particles upon exposure to laser radiation with a wavelength of 1.06 μm are presented as functions of the materials and sizes of particles and of the acting laser energy density. It is demonstrated that the acoustic signal amplitude and duration depend linearly on the effective sizes of particles initiating plasma formations with the proportionality coefficient depending on the particle material. The coefficient of laser energy conversion into the acoustic energy is estimated. The acoustic pulse shape is satisfactorily approximated by a blast N-wave for particles of micron sizes. A comparison of the obtained results with the data available from the literature indicates their good agreement.